Flight Planning

I was recently flying my Mooney into an airport in Colorado. Listening on the CTAF, I heard a Citation X announce:“Citation N1234 about 15 miles west, landing.” Trying to be accommodating, I replied:“Citation, Mooney is about five miles out, but I’ll go to the VOR, then return and follow you. You’re burning a lot more […]

This past week I watched the Wings Over Wine Country Air Show practice from my hangar at KSTS. I was listening to the tower on my handheld. While I was listening, three different pilots wandered into the TFR, causing the rehearsals to be delayed. The fourth time it happened was when the Canadian Snowbirds had […]

Call came in for a fuel order:“Can you send the fuel truck for ship 1 and ship 2?” The reply came back:“I am sorry sir we don”t do boats.” Basilio

I had dispatched a solo student on his cross-country trip. The route took him over some higher terrain — about 2,000 feet higher than his departure airport. As usual, I was listening on frequency to hear him clear the zone on route when he called flight service. Pilot:“The sky is falling, and I will be […]

Normal afternoon ground transmissions, when, out of nowhere: Unidentified Pilot:“Yeah, they have fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, fish tacos — they got everything!” [A short silence.] Ground:“Uhh, you just broadcasted that on BWI Ground.” [Another short silence.] (A Different) Unidentified Pilot:“Sounded delicious, though.” Shawn Byers

In discussions with new pilots at airports and on aviation forums, two of the recurring questions I get are how to give a good ride to someone who has never been in an airplane before and how come the spouses and families of a fair percentage of pilots don’t like to, or simply won’t, fly […]

Back when I was a student pilot in Navy Flight School, I was flying solo along the beach, conducting precision aerobatics practice. As I finished a barrel roll and set up for a loop, I heard a student-and-instructor aircraft check in to the area, and the exchange went like this: Instructor:“Solo aircraft 123, was that […]

After several years of work by the Recreational Aviation Foundation, an old turf runway has been restored and reopened on North Fox Island, in Lake Michigan. The 3,000-foot runway has displaced thresholds on both ends, and is surrounded by trees up to about 60 feet high. The island, which comprises about 820 acres, is owned […]

A NASA T-38 flown by an astronaut was taxiing to the FBO when he turned into a private hangar’s parking area. Ground control rerouted him to the FBO, and the pilot thanked him and said: “It is so hard to find your way down here on Earth.” Gib Satterwhite

In spring 2003, I was halfway through my flight training. My instructor and I were chatting about air traffic control. He’d just visited the local TRACON. From his description, I pictured a dark room filled with the intense chatter of men and women half-lit by radar scopes and blinking sci-fi lights. A few short years […]